


years to build, seconds to break

by pikasoos



Series: walking through time [1]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Police, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 07:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8278037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikasoos/pseuds/pikasoos
Summary: Hakyeon thought that his only problems were the occasional hard-to-catch criminal, stocking up his fridge and trying not to mother his co-workers. The universe had other plans, and they all involved a ghost from his past: Jung Taekwoon.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Everything I know about police work is strictly from anime, Brooklyn 99, and Google--- this has been the hardest fic I’ve written so far, and while I’m not sure if I managed to do our original plot justice, I am thankful that I was able to try something different. Also, thank you very much to my teammates for helping me and sticking by me as I struggled to finish this after work and sickness got me down ; ; You guys are amazing. Also a huge thank you to the mods for hosting this event and for being so lovely and understanding!
> 
> Warnings: Use of a homophobic slur, mild sexual content and swearing

Whenever Cha Hakyeon looked back on his childhood, the word that always came to mind was _idyllic_. Middle-class working family, a pristine house in the suburbs, two parents and an older sister. The only things missing to complete the pretty picture were the backyard and white picket fences. Of course, his perception of the world had shifted as he grew older; it could be cruel, and maybe it was that shift that spurred him to want to help. So he joined the police force.

He was the good guy, a hero in the city’s eyes. Heroes didn’t tolerate any form of evil, and did their best to get rid of it. After all, it was the right thing to do. (How did one decide what the right thing was?)

Hakyeon was supposed to be the good guy who protected the city from criminals. End of story.

Maybe he should start from the beginning.

-

 

The streets of Jong-no were silent this morning; the only sounds heard were the leaves rustling from the trees and the scuffing sounds of shoes on the sidewalk that belonged to two males; one in his mid-thirties and the other in his early twenties. It was a quiet area, mostly older citizens who either liked to stay inside or were out of town for a vacation; it _was_ June, after all. If the older man played his cards right, it would remain quiet. All he had to do was blend in, and he would be free. He snuck a glance at the younger man who seemed to be immersed in his cell phone, apparently convincing his girlfriend to keep a stray they had found. Pft, kids these days.

A glint of light caught the older man’s eye, and the realization hit him before he broke into a run. He needed to get out of this street, and fast. Sure enough, a quick look behind ensured that the younger man was indeed chasing after him as he yelled, “SMPA! Freeze!”

The criminal continued to run, scanning the streets for a back alley to escape into or a vehicle to hijack. The cop on his tail was relentless and quickly gaining on him, and there was another passerby in front of him, walking towards his direction. “Out of the way!” He yelled as he shoved the bystander aside, only to have his arm twisted behind his back, a smirk on the passerby’s face.

“Hong Kyul, you are under arrest for theft and disorderly conduct. You’ll have to come with us.” The young cop who had been following the criminal scowled at his comrade, a bit displeased at having this arrest slip through his fingers. This wasn’t even the first time an incident like this had happened, for god’s sake.

“I had that.”

“Sure you did.” Hakyeon replied as he cuffed the criminal’s hands behind his back and gripped his arm tightly. “I told you to put your badge somewhere less noticeable, Detective Han.”

Sanghyuk sighed and removed said badge from his belt where it could be seen whenever he lifted his arms up to stretch. “Duly noted, Detective Cha.”

It didn’t take long for the pair to bring the criminal to the police station, especially since it was still early. Most of the food stalls hadn’t even opened for the day yet, which was a shame since Hakyeon really wanted some tteokbokki. However, there was such a thing as ‘too early for paperwork’.

“It’s too early for this--” Hakyeon whined, much to amusement of his partner Sanghyuk, who was currently eating breakfast at the table adjacent to Hakyeon’s next to their civilian administrator, Jaehwan.

“You were the one who caught him, hyung.” Sanghyuk said in a singsong voice “And I distinctly remember you saying that the arresting officer does the paperwork afterwards.”

Hakyeon made a face at that, taking care not to make any typos in his report. “Remember when you were new here? Younger, smaller, more prone to fear?”

“You should’ve made him fear you when he was tinier.” Jaehwan said knowingly as he bit into his sandwich. “He could have been your pitbull or personal masseuse instead of making fun of you like this.”

“I’m right here.” Sanghyuk interjected, grinning at Hakyeon. “But no worries hyung, I’ll still scare people off for you and rub your tired, old bones.” Hakyeon was about to reply scathingly to that when Captain Park stepped out of his office, approaching their area. The three immediately stood up and saluted their captain, who wasted no time in briefing them.

“There was a call from a Lee Jihun. He found his neighbors dead early this morning in their house in Euljiro. I am sending you two there to investigate on who did this and why. As for you Jaehwan, I need you to turn in that paperwork about safety measures in schools by ten AM.” It was eight in the morning. “Understood?”

Everyone nodded. It was time to get back to work.

-

“Victims are Kim Yoojung and Park Soohyun.” Sanghyuk read off the list he had written after they had arrived at the crime scene. “Married with two children, but they’re currently with their grandparents for the weekend. Park was a stakeholder of a pharmaceuticals company, but he had plans of running for the National Assembly under the Saenuri Party. On the other hand, Kim was a pastry chef who had studied at Le Cordon Bleu. Their neighbor found them dead after one of Park’s secretaries had arrived and failed to deliver papers for a meeting. Cause of death appears to be carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the paramedics.”

“Carbon monoxide poisoning.” Hakyeon murmured as his gaze drifted towards the stove, walking over to check it out. The bodies had since been carried away in an ambulance after pictures had been taken of the crime scene. “It can’t have been a gas leak. Their stove is electric.”

Sanghyuk frowned as he peered over his notes. “No central heating here, so that’s been ruled out. We need to check for paint removers and cleaning fluids as well.”

Hakyeon rubbed at his temples. It was going to be a long day as Park Soohyun was a known face to the public, and as a potential candidate for office, people were going to be talking about this. The first order of business though, was to secure the area, they couldn’t have people stepping inside the crime scene and making off with any potential evidence.

Thankfully, most of the crowd had dispersed once the shock of the death that had taken place had worn off. “Excuse me.” He mumbled as he stepped out of the house for some air, sidestepping a much taller man once he reached the sidewalk. What he didn’t expect was to see a very familiar face. A familiar face he hadn’t seen or heard from in years.

“Hakyeon,” His voice was softer than he remembered, feather-light and contrasted his broad frame. Before Hakyeon could utter a word, the man turned around to stroll down the street, away from Hakyeon and damn it, this was his chance. He hurried after him, the familiar name slipping from his lips.

“Taekwoon! Jung Taekwoon!” The man turned around again, and Hakyeon was more certain than ever that he wasn’t hallucinating. The man had shot up in height, with full cheeks that reminded Hakyeon of a hamster eating and with eyes that seemed to be able to see right through Hakyeon. In fact, Hakyeon wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t doing it right now.

Jung Taekwoon, the boy who had been Hakyeon’s best friend, someone… important and who had slowly faded from his life until he was nothing more than a ghost.

"Hakyeon," Taekwoon said again, and Hakyeon had to keep control himself from throwing his arms around Taekwoon. He knew that Taekwoon wasn’t really one for touch all those year ago, and he was uncertain if that had changed or not. Besides, they were in public. It wouldn’t look good to be so chummy with an outsider while doing his duties to protect the city.

"It _is_ you," He settled for saying, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. It was like a dam of some sort had broken, all the questions he had wanted to ask spilling out of him. “How have you been? You never replied to my messages-- ah, do you live around here? I guess you do, or you wouldn’t be here.”

Taekwoon mumbled something about passing by, and Hakyeon was so bowled over by it all, his mind going at several miles a minute. There was so much he wanted to know. Why didn’t you ever reply?, a small voice asked in the back of his mind.

“Aren’t you at work?” Taekwoon’s question quickly brought Hakyeon back to reality: he was at work. This was a crime scene, and he shouldn’t be unprofessional like this. He schooled his expression into something less excitable, trying to keep it to the poker face he usually had during investigations.

“I should get back,” He murmured, and it was only when he had made his way back to the crime scene that he realized he had his phone out. There was a new number staring up at him, along with the name 'Jung Taekwoon'. That. That really happened. He really just saw Jung Taekwoon. It was a little like one of those reunion programs on television. Not that Hakyeon watched a lot of those. Not at all.

He might have snuck a peek when Jaehwan was watching one during work, but that was completely beside the point.

"Hakyeon hyung." Hakyeon snapped out of his reverie to find Sanghyuk looking at him, expression one of impatience. "We need to get back to the precinct before the media gets here and you know how journalists are-- you okay?"

It took a few more seconds for Hakyeon to respond, his partner’s expression a mixture of concern and confusion as he waited for an answer.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s just… we need to get back and inform Captain Park.”

-

Almost a week slipped past before Hakyeon remembered to text Taekwoon. Work had been busy, what with Park Soohyun’s death, as well as the additional cases the precinct had taken on. He was used to working late hours for a case, and his workaholic tendencies had become something of a running joke with the members of his squad. Even Captain Park had advised him more than once to take a break more than once.

Fortunately, Taekwoon had agreed on meeting up even on such short notice, and Hakyeon had decided to end his shift at a reasonable hour. This did not go unnoticed by a good portion of the precinct.

“There are only two reasons as to why hyung’s leaving early.” Jaehwan said sagely, nodding his head. “It’s either a family thing, or he has a hot date.” Hakyeon coughed when Sejeong and Nayoung tried their hardest to hide the fact that they were laughing.

“It is _not_ a hot date.” His expression was one of fond amusement when Jaehwan wriggled his eyebrows, lightly pushing his face away. “I’m just meeting up with an old friend I haven’t seen in years.” _An old friend he may have spent a lot of time doing more than friendly things with_ , his brain helpfully supplied.

“Nobody wears pants that tight to ‘just a meeting with an old friend’.” Sanghyuk said drily, moving easily before Hakyeon could attack him with a neck chop. This comment fueled Jaehwan’s enthusiasm to meddle even more, and Hakyeon took that as his sign to leave for the day.

The bar he had suggested they meet up at was a short walk from the precinct, a hole in the wall place he had discovered about two years ago. He had been on another team then, having just started out three months after his military service. He had been a traffic enforcer then, and he had hated it, preferring more of the challenges presented when he had moved to the criminal investigations team late last year.

It took him about half an hour to get to the place, and he nodded at the bouncer, who recognized him and let him in immediately. It was quiet, considering the fact that the bar had just opened barely an hour ago, but Hakyeon knew that the amount of people would build up within another hour when work hours ended for most of the city. Taekwoon had not yet arrived, so Hakyeon made himself comfortable at the bar, waiting until he eventually showed up.

He didn’t have to wait long, his friend showing up twenty minutes later. This time Hakyeon couldn’t stop himself from grinning too much, waving excitedly at Taekwoon. “You came!”

“Of course I came.” A small smile made its way onto Taekwoon’s face, and all thoughts of foreboding left Hakyeon immediately, laughing and waving to the bartender for some drinks.

“It really has been awhile…I don’t even know where to start.” What did one usually say when seeing someone they used to be close to after so long?

“So… you joined the police,” Taekwoon started after he had taken a sip of his beer. “I remember you said you wanted to.”

Hakyeon nodded, pleased that he had remembered. “It was… it was definitely something.” He had been worried earlier on about this, anxious as to whether they would be able to break through the awkwardness that usually came with meetings like this. He soon realized after talking that his worry was for nothing, face animated as he told Taekwoon of life after he had moved, university, the mandatory service, finishing with his decision to join the police force.

“Ah wait, I’m talking too much again—“ He said, expression sheepish. “At this rate, I’ll never get to hear what you’ve been up to, Taekwoon. What are you doing now?”

“Coffee shop,” He replied, pausing as he started coughing all of a sudden. Hakyeon looked at him in concern, nudging the glass of water towards him.

“Is it the one we met at the other day?” He asked, only to receive a shake of the head for a reply. “Oh, where is it? Tell me! Maybe I could come visit when you're working some time!”

“No.” Taekwoon looked grumpy at the thought of that, and it was so familiar, so Taekwoon that Hakyeon had to bite back a smile. “You’d come bother me like you always did.”

The night continued like that, the two bantering back and forth over drinks. Well, Hakyeon spoke far too much and Taekwoon only spoke after much prodding, but it was good-natured all the same. It was only until they were down to their last drinks that Hakyeon decided to say the other thing that was on his mind. “I never thought we’d have a drink together like this.”

‘Why?”

“Well, we moved… and we kind of fell out of touch.”

Taekwoon nodded at that. “You moved away.”

Hakyeon made a face with that, fully intent on whining about phones and emails that received no reply, but settled for taking another gulp of his drink. “You’re no fun,” He paused, pretending to think about his new few words. “Still, I’m really happy.”

“Me too.”

-

_“We’re moving.” Hakyeon remembered that day, they were… what, sixteen? Seventeen? Somewhere there, really. They had been younger, movements still awkward as they grew into adulthood. “I wanted to tell you… in person. My parents said they’ve been thinking about it for a while… and now that that happened…”_

_Taekwoon had not moved an inch, face still impassive as his stare bored into Hakyeon’s._

_“Taek?” A few more minutes passed until Taekwoon finally spoke, and it was only one word._

_“When?”_

_“Next month…”_

_He had been upset about moving, but he had also been hopeful that he and Taekwoon would stay friends. That somehow, they would make the friendship work._

_It never dawned on him that that would be the last time he would see Taekwoon. Or so he thought._

-

“What?” It was only when Taekwoon made a face that Hakyeon realized he had been staring. While he was lost in his thoughts. And he had been doing it for quite a while. Shit.

“Nothing—“ He said a little too quickly. “I’m just thinking about how handsome you grew up to be.” He had said that to tease a little, and it was absolutely worth it as Taekwoon’s cheeks grew pinker. That may have been the alcohol though.

They got up once they had finished their drinks, stepping outside after paying the bartender. It was much warmer outside due to the summer weather, but it wasn’t too hot to be considered unbearable. “It’d be nice to do this again.”

“It was nice.” Taekwoon admitted as they passed a store, television screens on and facing the window. A man was giving a speech on one of the screens, a politician of some sort. “Jeon Seungho.” He murmured, the name catching Hakyeon’s attention.

“Interested in politics?” Hakyeon followed Taekwoon’s gaze towards the screen, the name ringing a bell. It had popped up more than once in Park Soohyun’s case files after all, since Jeon Seungho would have been his opponent in the upcoming election.

“Ah. Park Soohyun.” Hakyeon stopped, surprised as he stared at Taekwoon. “They were supposed to run against each other,” Taekwoon clarified. “It’s why I remembered Jeon Seungho… it was on the news.”

“Right…” The train station was up ahead, completely opposite the direction Hakyeon was supposed to take, but well. Reasons. “Well, I guess this is goodnight? I’ll text you later, and you better text me back this time! If we fall out of touch again because of you ignoring my texts again, I really won’t forgive you this time.”

Taekwoon snorted at that, nodding once. “Okay. Goodnight, Hakyeon.”

“Goodnight, Taekwoon.”

-

Hakyeon flopped back in his chair, setting the papers he had been reading on the table. “Apparently Jeon Seungho and Park Soohyun hated each other for years. No wonder people have been whispering about him as a possible suspect, the things they’ve said to each other over the years could give the judges of Unpretty Rapstar a run for their money. Unfortunately, Jeon has an alibi. He was at the lunch that formally announced his campaign for office, with about sixty witnesses.”

Sanghyuk peered at Hakyeon’s file, tapping is chin in thought. “Maybe he hired someone else to do it. He looks like the type to not want to get his hands dirty.”

“FYI, you are both not machines,” Jaehwan said loudly as he entered the break room where Hakyeon and Sanghyuk were currently reading, the two whining about possibly getting bibimbap on the papers. He immediately put down the lunches had bought for the three of them, wagging a finger at them. “And as human beings, you need basic things like food, sleep, and stuff like hugs and cuddles.”

Sanghyuk immediately backed away, not wanting any of the aforementioned hugs or cuddles. “While I am all for food and sleep, please don’t do the last bit.”

“Oh hush, you know where I’ve been.” Jaehwan waved a hand dismissively.

“I know, that’s exactly why.”

“Yah—“ Hakyeon paid the two no mind, reaching for one of the lunches at the table and opening it.

“This looks great, Jaehwan! Thanks a lot… how much was it though, I feel bad that you had to carry all these…” The two stopped bickering immediately to look at Hakyeon, who was busy eating bibimbap until he realized they were staring at him. “… do I have something on my face?”

“Who are you and what have you done with the real Hakyeon hyung?” Sanghyuk deadpanned, yelping when Hakyeon gave him a neck chop before returning to his food.

“As much as I hate to admit it, Hyukkie’s right. What’s got you in such a good mood?” Jaehwan’s tone was light, playful and Hakyeon tried very hard not to react. He must have failed because Jaehwan then placed a hand on Hakyeon’s shoulder, adopting what might have been a motherly tone. “Did you have a nice time out on your date?”

Hakyeon promptly choked on his food, and that was Sanghyuk’s cue to reach over and pound his back. “I—I said it wasn’t a date!” He coughed, fanning his face with his hands. Was it always so hot in the breakroom, why was he sweating—

“You’re fanning your face with your hands, you only do when you’re flustered.” Sanghyuk pointed out, and wow okay why was the universe so against Hakyeon today, this wasn’t fair at all.

Jaehwan was beside himself with glee at this development, taking the seat next to Hakyeon. “This is gold. I mean, you never date— is he hot—“

“We have a case to get back to—“ Sanghyuk said loudly, and fine, maybe the kid was a better partner than Hakyeon had originally thought to be. Jaehwan merely smiled at Sanghyuk’s surly expression, reaching out to pat his hair.

That night with Taekwoon had not been a date, Hakyeon told himself firmly. Besides, whatever experimentation he and Taekwoon might have had in the past didn’t mean they had to pick up right where they left off. They had been children, for god’s sake. Frankly, the fact that Taekwoon had not been averse to meeting up again was even more than he had dared hope for.

-

_The first time they had experimented had happened in school, in the stairwell on the way to the roof. The day had not been kind to both of them, one of their more loudmouthed classmates adding fuel to the fire when he had seen Hakyeon hugging Taekwoon a little too tight to be considered friendly._

_“I never would have guessed you’d be that type of person, Cha.” The boy had smirked then, like a cat that had caught their prey._

_Hakyeon didn’t flinch, merely raised an eyebrow. “And what do you mean by_ that _type of person, Song?”_

_“A fucking fag—“ The boy’s eyes widened when Taekwoon lunged towards him, fingers clutching at his collar, venom dripping from every word he spat out._

_“What. Did. You say?”_

_A hand was placed on Taekwoon’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Taekwoon, don’t. He’s not worth it.” Taekwoon’s grip on the boy’s collar did not loosen, fury evident in his features._

_“If I hear you say anything like that about Hakyeon again, I will kill you.” The boy nodded, terrified as Taekwoon looked deathly serious while saying that. He swore when Taekwoon pushed him roughly, scampering back to their classroom as their break reached the last five minutes._

_Taekwoon had glanced at Hakyeon, who had been staring at him with an unreadable expression. “I… class is going to start soon. We’ll have to head back.”_

_Hakyeon just considered to look at him, and it was starting to feel a little nerve-wracking. “Hakyeon...?” Taekwoon was promptly cut off when Hakyeon’s lips pressed against his own, and oh. Oh._

-

“That time,” Hakyeon murmured as he stirred his mojito. “In the stairwell, to the roof.” He had kissed Taekwoon then, rutted against him like the horny teenager he was until he came in his pants, and they had ditched their next class in favor of staying in the boy’s bathroom. What had made it even more surprising was that Taekwoon had kissed back, had also moaned and whimpered as they were pressed too close to each other.

“I remember.” Taekwoon said, hand trailing over Hakyeon’s knee before resting his palm on top of Hakyeon’s leg. Maybe it was the alcohol, but it shouldn’t be this easy to resume things like this, Hakyeon thought belatedly.

It was only when Hakyeon was pressed against the wall, kissing Taekwoon messily and tugging at his hair that he decided, _ah fuck it_. It was nothing like their past kisses, which were clumsy, more enthusiasm than skill. They were older now, having grown into their awkward limbs and giving in to the temptation made easier with just the right amount of alcohol.

A low moan escaped Hakyeon’s lips as he rutted against Taekwoon, hard against him as his free hand fisted the front of Taekwoon’s shirt. It was too much, but it also wasn’t enough and Hakyeon didn’t know if he should ask for more or not.

Taekwoon took matters into his own hands, pulling away and looking at Hakyeon with swollen lips and flushed cheeks. Hakyeon was pretty sure he was in a similar state, straightening his shirt a little. “It’s… you’re busy.”

Oh. “Yes, I suppose I am.” _Not too busy_ , he wanted to say, opening his mouth and closing it a little.

“I can take you home,” Taekwoon suddenly spoke. “I’ll call a cab.”

“You don’t need to.” Hakyeon said immediately, only for Taekwoon to insist otherwise—“I want to.” He smiled a little and Hakyeon huffed to hide how relieved the smile made him feel.

It was only when they had reached Hakyeon’s house that he dared to ask the more important question, hand on the door handle. “See you soon?”

Taekwoon nodded, and that was Hakyeon’s cue to open the door. “Then goodnight.”

“Get home safely.” Taekwoon’s reply had him laughing as he got out of the cab, house mere steps away. He waved goodbye, knew well that Taekwoon could still see him before disappearing inside.

Well, that had been. Tonight had definitely been an interesting night.

-

It was surprisingly easy to slip back into old habits, as Hakyeon had discovered. Despite the irregular meetups, most of their meetings consisted of the same activities. Slipping into dark corners, meeting up, sometimes Taekwoon even came over to his house. Alcohol was still involved, the only thing strong enough to help them move past awkward pleasantries and excuses for visiting. Taekwoon moaned, the sound ragged as Hakyeon’s lips encircled his cock, his hands making their way through dark locks and lightly tugging.

Hakyeon pulled away to look at him, lips swollen, eyes twinkling as his fingers continued to stroke the base of Taekwoon’s cock. “You said you were hungry.”

Taekwoon still had enough brain space to retort (or not), pushing Hakyeon’s head down so that he was face to face with his erection. “Shut up—“ Hakyeon complied by taking Taekwoon into his mouth again, the weight of his cock heavy on his tongue as he began to bob his head up and down, hands pressing Taekwoon’s hips against the wall. Hakyeon was already hard, the tent in his boxers evident as he swallows Taekwoon’s cock down to the base. A choked cry escaped from Taekwoon’s lips, head thrown back as Hakyeon sucked him off.

“F-fuck—“ Taekwoon gasped as he came hard into Hakyeon’s mouth, hips stuttering as Hakyeon’s tongue lapped up every drop of his release before coming off of his cock with a soft ‘pop’.

“Wouldn’t you like to?” Hakyeon smirked, fighting the urge to coo as Taekwoon’s cheeks turned slightly pink at the insinuation.

“Sometimes I wonder how you manage to keep track of your partner and squad.” Taekwoon deadpanned, yelping when Hakyeon pinched his arm.

“Yah, what’s that supposed to mean— at least I didn’t break a toaster—or walk into a strip club by accident!“

“No, you do much worse—“

“Yah, you don’t even know that—“

“Well, how would I know—“ Hakyeon paused, confused as he looked at Taekwoon. There was that subject again, the one about Hakyeon moving away. Leaving Taekwoon behind.

“It wasn’t my choice.” Hakyeon said quietly as he led Taekwoon back to his room. They sat down on his bed. “You know that.”

“I do know that.” They were both silent for a few minutes, well, until Taekwoon’s phone started ringing. Hakyeon continued to sit in bed as he watched Taekwoon root around for his clothes and get dressed. It was only when Taekwoon came out of the bathroom that Hakyeon decided to ask a question.

“Work?”

Taekwoon ran his fingers through his hair, walking closer to him. “You could say that. I’ll… see you soon?” Hakyeon nodded, smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Normally he was the one who asked that question.

-

Summer was slipping by much faster than usual, and Hakyeon could have sworn that it was still June, except that the calendar said otherwise. There had been less work than usual, especially after he and Sanghyuk had cracked the remaining theft case. Park Soohyun’s case stubbornly remained open, neither of them believing the fact that had been merely carbon monoxide poisoning. Coincidences like that didn’t happen, especially not when elections were so close at hand.

He stepped inside the precinct, shades covering his eyes and clutching a cup of coffee. Normally, he would’ve gone for his staple banana milk, but last night had been. Busy. With Taekwoon. Yes.

“Nice shades, oppa.” Sejeong commented, as he brushed past her, Hakyeon grunting in response because he needed to be functional to be social, and to be functional this morning, he needed coffee.

Sanghyuk was already at his desk, frowning a little when he saw Hakyeon’s current state. “Um.”

“I know, I look… less put-together than usual.”

“No—well, yeah, you look like shit.” Hakyeon sighed and took a sip of his coffee, shuddering when the bitter liquid flowed down his throat. “So… good morning?”

“Good morning, Hyuk-ah.” Hakyeon smiled a little, taking his shades off and placing it on his table. “Um, I’m normally not this scatterbrained—“

“I figured.” Sanghyuk said, grinning a little as he placed something on top of Hakyeon’s desk. It was a small carton of banana milk.

“You’re being nice today.” Hakyeon said suspiciously, taking his seat as well. “Did you do something—“

“I can be nice!” Sanghyuk said, feigning hurt as he clutched his chest. “Anyway, I was going to ask you something…”

“Hm?” This was rare, normally Sanghyuk hardly asked for favors from Hakyeon so this was probably pretty important.

Sanghyuk opened his mouth to speak, only for Nayoung to pass by, carrying a huge stack of files as she called out. “Cha. Han. Captain Park needs to see you two in his office right now.”

-

The victim this time was a bachelor and another party member, Kim Jihong. He lived in Chungmuro, where many film studios had stood before moving to the Gangnam district. The body was located at the foot of the stairs, a pool of blood around his head. His sister was the one who had found him, hysterical as she recounted finding him to Sanghyuk.

Hakyeon knelt next to the man, his gloves on as he noticed the blood under the man’s fingernails. Huh, that was strange. He let the forensics team take a sample of it just to be sure, venturing upstairs to Kim Jihong’s room. It was the complete opposite of downstairs, the bed nice and tidy, clothes neatly stacked in one pile and medicine bottles placed on his bedside table. After reading the labels of all the bottles, one caught his attention, frowning when he read the label. He immediately brought it down, heading towards the sister and Sanghyuk.

“Excuse me, but did your brother ever take any regular medication? I found this upstairs.” She tilted her head in curiosity, frowning as she read the label.

“That isn’t his. He doesn’t take tranquilizers. Only insulin for his diabetes. He has an insulin kit that he always keeps at his bedside table so it’s within reach… as well as regular epilepsy medication.”   Hakyeon’s frown deepened, recalling the labels of the bottles he had just seen.

“There was no insulin kit upstairs when I checked…I found Xyren though. And what I’m holding right now is Depakote, but the bottle is still sealed.”

“Since Xyren works by slowing down the nervous system, some common side effects include dizziness, poor balance or coordination…” Sanghyuk continued. “They were probably trying to make it look like an accident.”

“I’m sorry, but ‘they’…?” Kim Jihong’s sister glanced back and forth between the two. Hakyeon gave the little pill bottle a shake, expression impassive.

“It means that foul play may have been involved in the death of your brother, ma’am.”

-

They made it back to the precinct about three hours later, Kim Jihong’s murder leaving more questions as they finished talking to the witnesses. “It’s so strange…” Hakyeon mumbled, Sanghyuk glancing at him before sifting through the pictures they had collected. “They tried to make it look like an accident, but given the fact that the victim doesn’t take those kinds of medication… and the one he does take is still sealed and everything...”

“It was sloppy.” Sanghyuk agreed. “They must have messed something up… like the victim put up a struggle or… they got the wrong person somehow.” Hakyeon rubbed his temples, checked his watch for the time and sighed in relief. Sanghyuk noticed this, cocking his head. “You seem like you’re waiting for the shift to end, hyung.”

Hakyeon started at that, laughing a little. “Ah, no not really… that reminds me, you wanted to ask me something before the case started, right?”

Sanghyuk looked like a deer trapped in headlights, gaze shifting back to the pictures he had been looking at. “Me? Uh, nah…” He had to distract and deflect. “How about you though? Do you have any plans after your shift?”

“Yeah, I’m meeting someone. Right after shift, actually… which is kind of worrying, considering I don’t really look my best after shift.” The way Hakyeon said that had Sanghyuk looking at his hyung once more, tone casual.

“Oh. Is it the same person as last time? The friend you haven’t met up with for a long time.” Sanghyuk clarified.

Hakyeon nodded, feeling his cheeks grow slightly warm. _God, get a hold of yourself_ , his brain chided at him. “Yeah, it’s him.”

“Oh.” Sanghyuk’s face was impassive, and Hakyeon wasn’t sure what his partner meant by that one word. “Have fun, hyung and… don’t worry. You look great.” Sanghyuk smiled a little before darting into the kitchen to heat up his gopchang.

-

Taekwoon messaged him first, surprisingly, right as summer ended and honestly, Hakyeon felt a little petty about not receiving a reply so quickly, which was why he didn’t reply immediately. Their last meet up had also… left a bad taste in his mouth. So. Yes, he was not going to reply, he was going to be firm with this and not reply.

He might have caved after a few days. Or less than a week. Predictably enough, the night started with Taekwoon on his knees, and Hakyeon… pretty much boneless for a few minutes.

They had eaten the chicken Taekwoon had brought, the food a good distraction from the silence that usually followed their more awkward conversations. In the end, it was Hakyeon who made the first move, nudging Taekwoon with his toes and pointedly ignoring the faint marks on his arms and neck. “About last time… can we just forget about it?"

Hakyeon continued after Taekwoon’s confused expression, backpedaling so he could clarify. “Nothing you said was wrong. You sleep with other people. I was surprised, but… I don’t think I’m in any position to say anything about it. We’re not in that sort of relationship… so that’s just what it is.”

An hour passed before the conversation started again, Hakyeon trying to find the right words to express what he wanted to say. “Taekwoon… I know you said you don’t need me anymore, but if you ever do…”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Okay, okay, you know what I mean.” Hakyeon placed a hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder to placate him. “But… I’m here. If you do… even if it’s been years, you’re still my friend. Even if we’re different people.”

Taekwoon stared at Hakyeon for a long time, and nodded slowly.

“You better reply to my texts—“ Hakyeon warned, which started another round of play fighting. The tension had diffused a bit, the atmosphere a bit lighter compared to a few minutes ago. It was easy, fooling around like this. He could handle easy things.

What he couldn’t handle were more difficult things, like the guilt he felt about abandoning Taekwoon when he needed him the most. Or the nagging voice at the back of his mind telling him that this entire thing with Taekwoon was a bad idea.

-

“Your hair’s getting too long.” Hakyeon piped up, his fingers running through Taekwoon’s hair. Almost like petting a cat. “We should go get it cut again.”

“I’m old enough to go by myself.” Taekwoon grumbled, and Hakyeon resisted the urge to pinch his cheeks, settling for continuing to comb Taekwoon’s hair with his fingers, feeling too lazy to move.

A few more minutes passed before Hakyeon stood up from the bed, stretching, eyes on the sturdy planes of Taekwoon’s body, a light flush on his chest after the activities they had done. “Do you want to shower first? Since I know you’ll…”

“Maybe the trains are still running.” Taekwoon said, and Hakyeon chortled at that, gesturing for him to go ahead.

Once he was sure that the shower was running and the bathroom door was closed, Hakyeon quickly opened his bedside drawer, pulling out a small vial. He unscrewed the lid quickly, placing a strand of black hair—Taekwoon’s hair, to be exact – inside and screwing the lid back on.

He quickly put the vial back inside his drawers and climbed into bed, heart pounding at what he had just done. This was crazy… he didn’t even know if Taekwoon really had a hand in those deaths.

But then again, he wouldn’t know at all if he didn’t have the sample tested. Why was everything so fucked up?

-

The Forensics Lab was located at the basement of the precinct, so it was rare that they ventured above the basement unless it was after their shift. Lee Wongeun was one of the newer scientists, but he was great at his job along even if he was slightly awkward as a person. Hakyeon liked talking to him, felt that it was easy to do so, which was why he had gone to the basement first thing in the morning.

“Dr. Lee, are you here?” Wongeun looked up from his stethoscope, breaking out into a grin once he saw that it was Hakyeon.

“Hey hyung. It’s just me this morning.” Hakyeon sighed in relief, clutching his chest.

“Oh good. Has it been busy today?” Wongeun shook his head, eyes disappearing into crescent moons as he smiled.

“It’s the first hour of shift, hyung. It’s not busy yet. How are your cases?”

“Ah well… there are a few difficult ones, but what else is new?” Wongeun laughed at that, reminding Hakyeon of a happy puppy. “Anyway, I wanted to ask if you could… do me a personal favor.If you’re not busy, that is.”

Wongeun had his gloves on, pausing as he mulled over Hakyeon’s words. “Depends on what it is.”

Hakyeon reached inside his backpack, pulling out the vial with the strand of Taekwoon’s hair and holding it up. “Can you… run a DNA test on this for me? And match it?”

“Sure… what am I matching it with though?”

“I want you to match it with… the blood found under Kim Jihong’s fingernails when his body was discovered.”

-

Jeon Seungho lingered on their list of suspects, considering his links to Park Soohyun and Kim Jihong. However, his alibis prevented the SMPA from bringing him in for further questioning.

That was until the third crime rolled around, sometime after Halloween. It was in Hongdae this time, the location of the trendy condominiums that usually catered to the rich and single.

Hakyeon knelt down next to the body, a woman this time. Her eyes were shut tight, almost as if she had expected that this would be a very painful landing. The pool of blood around her head had congealed a bit, showing where most of the impact of the fall had ended up. There was blood under her fingernails as well, a sight too familiar to Hakyeon. He closed his eyes and inhaled, then exhaled. He couldn’t think about this now, he had to function properly for this case, his work.

Sanghyuk had gotten the information about the victim, handing the papers over to Hakyeon. Lee Eunkyung. Early thirties. But it was her employment history that had them both pause.

“Hyung.”

“I see it too.” Hakyeon said after he managed to find his voice. Staring up at them was the page of Lee Eunkyung’s employment history, where it said that up until three months ago, she had been Jeon Seungho’s personal assistant.

-

“This is insane—“ Sanghyuk groaned, burying his head in his hands and narrowly avoiding pushing aside some of the folders on top of his desk. Jaehwan merely made sympathetic cooing noises, which made Sanghyuk even surlier. It was already past nine in the evening, and most of the squad for the night shift had already settled into their desks. Unfortunately, with the rate Sanghyuk’s assigned case was going, he and Hakyeon would have to pull several more double-shifts.

Speaking of Hakyeon, he was also hidden behind a large stack of paperwork, tapping his pen as he tried to think. He had long grown used to the noise of everyone else in the vicinity, had learned to tune them out so he could focus on one particular thing. It usually worked, but now was not one of those times.

With all the evidence they had collected, everything was pointing right to Jeon Seungho, despite the accused’s repeated claims that he was innocent. While Hakyeon had often heard things like that, he also knew that these murders were too… there was something obvious about them. Like they wanted to be found, and that was where Hakyeon figured that Jeon Seungho might have been telling the truth. Maybe he had been missing something, a clue at one of the crime scenes, anything that he or Sanghyuk might have missed.

His thoughts drifted to the claim slip in his drawer --the one for the hair sample he had given Wongeun from Forensics just last week-- only to push that particular train of thought away. No. There had to be a plausible explanation.

“Careful, hyung. You might glare a hole into that picture.” A warm hand on his shoulder had Hakyeon jumping in surprise, only to sigh once he took a look at Jaehwan’s face.

“Not now, Jaehwan.” Jaehwan wasn’t deterred by this, making himself comfortable on Hakyeon’s desk after clearing some space.

“None of you are going to solve this case if you’re going to be stubborn like this. Gosh, you’re both as bad as Seokjin’s colleague Yoongi-- what the hell, Sanghyuk!--” It was Jaehwan’s turn to be startled when Sanghyuk suddenly shot up from his desk, eyes wide as he crossed over to Hakyeon’s desk.

“Min Yoongi, right? The journalist. You said that Seokjin mentioned him working on a particular story.” Sanghyuk’s glance shifted over to Hakyeon, who immediately understood and stood up as well.

“The Jeon brothers. Seungho and Seungjin.” Hakyeon said slowly. “Park Soohyun was on the opposite party and hated him. Kim Jihong was from the same party and also hated him… Lee Eunkyung used to work for him. But Jeon Seungho wouldn’t do anything to tarnish his chances of running for office…”

“His brother would, though.” Sanghyuk continued. “We know that they also aren’t on the best terms.”  

“What is Jeon Seungjin’s occupation right now?”

Jaehwan’s eyes had darted back and forth between the two before he snapped his fingers, trying to recall. “He’s set to take over the family’s… pharmaceuticals company… wait, wait-- if you’re both thinking what I think you’re thinking-- you guys checked them out yourselves during the three murders and his their alibis were airtight.”

“Not unless he had someone doing the dirty work for him.” Hakyeon said wryly, and it was then that Sanghyuk stared at his partner.

“You sound like you already know who that person is.”

“I have a lead.” Hakyeon opened the drawer, handing Sanghyuk the claim slip and watching as his eyes narrowed. The scene from the second murder flashed in his mind once more; the corpse, the blood under their fingernails. In his head the scene changes, the corpse disappearing only to be replaced by him and Taekwoon. Taekwoon had removed his jacket, and Hakyeon could remember the scratches on his arms, even more vivid than the hickeys that had decorated his neck. “For once though, I really hope I’m wrong.”

-

Hakyeon had almost forgotten about the claim slip until Wongeun had approached him the week after, a rare sight as he was hardly seen outside the lab. “Hyung, I have the DNA test you had me do a few weeks back.

He had been sitting with Jaehwan then, his friend staring at him as he recalled what he had asked Wongeun to do. “I… let’s go to the lab.”

Jaehwan mouthed a “we’ll talk later” as Hakyeon walked off, following Wongeun down to the Forensic Science labs. His palms were sweating, and he wasn’t sure if he could take knowing what the answer will be. If it turned out false, well, he already felt awful for thinking horribly of Taekwoon like this. It the DNA test was a match… well then, that would be. Equally difficult. _Please,_ he thought. _Don’t be a match._

“I’m sorry it took a bit longer than expected.” Wongeun said apologetically, pulling on his gloves once they reached his desk. “The cases had piled up lately…”

“It’s okay, Wongeunnie.” Hakyeon reached out to ruffle the younger man’s hair. “You were busy, and I had only asked you as a favor anyway.”

“Well, it may have been just a favor, but I think this is really important to the Kim Jihong case. There was  blood under his fingernails, right?” Hakyeon nodded, expression tense. “He had probably gotten into a struggle with the perpetrator right before he died. After testing the hair sample you gave me…”

_Please, please, don’t let it match._

“It’s a perfect match, hyung.” Wongeun said. “I also tested it with the blood found under Lee Eunkyung’s nails as well, and it was the same, so it was the same perpetrator for both cases.” He trailed off, growing concerned as he saw Hakyeon’s expression. “Hyung? Are you alright?”

Hakyeon felt like he had been punched in the stomach, turning around and heading up the stairs, ignoring Wongeun’s calls of his name. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t right—

“Hyung?”

Jaehwan and Sanghyuk were both staring at him, his partner grasping his arm tightly. “What’s wrong?” Sanghyuk asked immediately as he let Hakyeon sit down. He only realized that he was shaking after Jaehwan held onto his hands.

“Hyung, speak to us. What happened?”

“Park Soohyun—Kim Jihong—“ Hakyeon gasped, and fuck, what was going on with him—he had to get a grip on himself. “”Lee Eunkyung— killer—“

“You found a lead?” They said in unison, and Hakyeon had to take a few more deep breaths.

“I found a DNA match of the killer.”

“Well?” Jaehwan demanded. “Who is it?”

“Jung Taekwoon.” Hakyeon said faintly. “I need to… air…”

-

It was Sanghyuk who found him an hour later in the records room, hugging his knees to his chest. He had calmed down a bit, but it didn’t make the truth hurt any less.

Taekwoon. Criminal. Murderer.

Oh god, how could he have been so stupid.

Sanghyuk sat next to him, and Hakyeon was very thankful that they didn’t have a rat infestation. Or a roach infestation.

“Jung Taekwoon…” Sanghyuk began, looking at Hakyeon. “He’s the friend you see sometimes. The one you sort of date?”

Hakyeon snorted at that. Of course Sanghyuk would put that so innocently. “We aren’t dating. We just—hang out. We’re friends.” _Who occasionally make out and fuck,_ his brain added.

“That’s… really tough.” Hakyeon smiled a little at Sanghyuk’s awkwardness, so reminiscent of when he had started out at the precinct. He hadn’t known how to approach the more senior members of the force, was always nervous when he had to report to them or even talk to them. “I’m sorry though. That… it turned out like this.”

“It’s not your fault, Hyuk-ah.” His hand reached out to pet Sanghyuk’s hair, finding a small comfort in doing so. To his credit, Sanghyuk didn’t flinch or back away like he usually did, for which he was grateful. “I was an awful judge of character, I suppose. He had been my friend many years ago, and trusted him too easily without really knowing the kind of person he had become.”

“Still. You don’t deserve—you deserve a lot better than that.” Sanghyuk took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say. “We’ll… have to arrest him. Do you… want me to do it? Or ask one of the hyungs to do it…?”

“No,” Hakyeon said simply, rubbing his temples. “I’ll… I’ll do it. I’m your partner, remember? We’re working this case together.”

“Will you be okay arresting him?” _No_ , his mind said. This was… Taekwoon was his friend. And… a very close one at that.

“I… could you give me a while to think about this?”

“We don’t have time, hyung.” Sanghyuk reminded him. “He might kill someone else… even if it is on Jeon Seungjin’s orders. We need to tell Captain Park our findings at the next briefing.”

“At least give me the rest of the day and the night to think, okay? Can you do that, Hyukkie? If I don’t make a decision by tomorrow, you can tell Captain Park yourself.”

Sanghyuk still looked skeptical, but he nodded hesitantly. “Okay.”

Hakyeon really didn’t deserve Sanghyuk as his partner, really.

-

And here he was now. They had to act quickly, before Jeon Seungjin had someone killed again. Before Taekwoon killed again. Speaking of Taekwoon…

_I need to talk to you._

Hakyeon made a face at his phone, deleting the draft of the text message he was supposed to send. It was usually so easy for him to contact Taekwoon, be it either for friendly chats or for sex. Well, usually the friendly chats ended up culminating into something of a sexual nature, but that wasn’t the point right now.

A minute passed. Then another. Then five more. Fuck, it was better to just get on with it. He quickly typed another message and closed his eyes as he hit the Send button.

_Lol I have a birthday present for you._

Well what do you know, he had it in him to be cruel after all.

He had brought Sanghyuk with him, of course he did. He wasn’t stupid enough to go after Taekwoon alone. Besides, given the situation, it was for the best as his partner had a much clearer head than he did right now. They waited at the coffee shop he had texted Taekwoon about earlier, the sky a mixture of purple and orange as the late afternoon made way for evening. Sanghyuk had taken a table nearby, body partially hidden by the divider between seats. Hakyeon’s gun was in a holster at his belt, the first time he had brought it to a meeting with Taekwoon except for the first time they had run into each other. Outside Park Soohyun’s house. Probably a few hours after Taekwoon had murdered him and his wife.

Hakyeon snorted at the irony of it all. The person who helped him realize that the world wasn’t black and white, and here he was: the perpetrator of the murders he had been working to solve.

“My birthday was two days ago.” Hakyeon stiffened, he was here. He attempted a laugh as Taekwoon slid into the seat across from him, hands resting on the table and his fingers locked together. The recorder was on, and it felt like he was hiding a bomb inside his jacket.

“Ah, well. I’m a bit late. Took too long to get you something.”

The silence that followed was deafening, and Hakyeon was suddenly so, so tired. “You know.”

Taekwoon nodded towards where Sanghyuk was seated. “Your backup looked at me.”

Hakyeon sighed. “Of course it was Sanghyuk.”

“You don’t look too happy to see me either. Should I have not come?”

“I’m arresting you. Your… blood was found under Kim Jihong’s fingernails… and Lee Eunkyung’s…” Hakyeon said carefully, and Taekwoon, the little shit, nodded. He looked at Taekwoon for a long time, eyes searching for something, anything that told Hakyeon that this was all a sick joke. “You were ordered to… I know that, but—“

“I killed them all.” Taekwoon interrupted him, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips and it shocked Hakyeon, hearing it fall so casually from Taekwoon;s lips. “Why, you ask? Because the world is not black and white, not totally. It’s an ugly, cruel place that turns you into something you initially deny being, until you finally admit it to yourself at least.”

He couldn’t do this, he just couldn’t, but he had to. As Taekwoon listed the victims he had killed, Hakyeon saw Sanghyuk slowly get up and sneak over to their table. Hearing it, all of it, it suffocated him; this wasn’t the Taekwoon he knew, this couldn’t be.

 _But did you really know him?_ A voice at the back of his mind that suspiciously sounded like Jaehwan’s spoke up. _Or did you only know the person he presented himself as?_

“Why did you… even if someone…”

“I don’t know.” Taekwoon admitted, his hands busy lighting up a cigarette. “I guess it was me or them, and I always chose me.”

Hakyeon took a deep breath, exhaling shakily. “Why aren’t you running then?”

“I guess I realized I’m not worth it.” Another silence followed as they met each other’s eyes, wisps of smoke curling up from Taekwoon’s cigarette. “I’m sorry.”

Hakyeon didn’t speak for a long time, the only sound that could be heard from their table was the cold click of the handcuffs around Taekwoon’s wrists, Sanghyuk’s hand on Taekwoon’s arms as he steered him towards the police car.

“Jung Taekwoon, you’re under arrest for the murders of Park Soohyun, Kim Yoojung, Kim Jihong and Lee Eunkyung.”

-

**Epilogue (6 months later)**

Sanghyuk is the one who asks him, at a stakeout six months after he’s arrested Taekwoon, and Hakyeon still can’t get his friend’s gaze out of his head. It’s much too quiet inside the car, and he knows he should make small talk, strategize, anything to dispel the silence that always seems to make an appearance whenever he’s alone with his partner these days.

He thinks of Jeon Seungjin’s arrest the week after Taekwoon’s, the man’s expression as several squad cars greeted him as he stepped out of his office. It’s a small victory, he supposes, catching a person who had masterminded several murders. The article written by Min Yoongi had helped a lot in exposing not only Jeon Seungjin, but Jeon Seungho as well for his own crimes. Those two… would not be getting out of jail anytime soon.

It’s a small victory, but the thought doesn’t really give him much comfort, especially after knowing who he had used to carry out his crimes.

“Have you ever… thought of what would happen… if you didn’t arrest Jung Taekwoon?” Hakyeon’s hand grips the steering wheel a little too hard, trying to sort things out in his head. He can just choose not to answer, because he’s scared that he’ll say something he doesn’t really mean.

“I’ve thought about it.” He says carefully, and it’s the first word he’s spoken that isn’t related to this goddamn stakeout. “I’ve thought about it and… while Jeon Sungjin hired him… he still killed all those people, and maybe countless others we don’t know about.”

Sanghyuk is quiet, and it isn’t lost on Hakyeon that his partner is a lot wiser and level-headed than he is at the moment. “You know, when I first joined the squad, I thought you were this bad-ass cop with the most arrests. I didn’t know if I could ever reach that level-- oh stop laughing, I’m only going to say this once—“ He says irritably as Hakyeon tries to pass off his laughter as a coughing fit. “You were on top and you were… invincible? Like nothing could rattle you, and you were hell-bent on catching criminals, keeping citizens safe. Like Batman, only without the obscene amounts of cash and the suits.”

“It was the thrill, I suppose.” Hakyeon murmurs, looking out of the car windows for any sign of their guy. “That and protecting people. I remember being younger and seeing someone beaten to death in the alley near our school, wondering if that man had a family, if they were looking for him. I grew up too sheltered, so it was shocking to me, so it kind of helped me decide that whatever I would end up doing, it would involve helping others.”

“But.” Sanghyuk prompts, eyes scanning their surroundings as well.

“But nothing.” Hakyeon says firmly. “I cared for Taekwoon, and I still do, as a friend. However, it doesn’t change the fact that he is also a murderer, and I couldn’t… not arrest him. Innocent people were hurt, killed even, and I’m not going to let my personal feelings get in the way of something I’ve been working my ass off for. I wouldn’t be a good cop if I let the bad guy get away.”

A few minutes pass before Hakyeon speaks again, his grip on the steering wheel not loosening one bit. “Do you think I made the right decision, Hyuk-ah?”

“Depends.” Sanghyuk’s tone is wry, arms folded across his chest. “If you plan on breaking him out of jail, I hope you know that I’m going to clock you over the head and drag you to the holding cell for the night.”

“That seems fair.” Hakyeon jokes, sobering up when he spies a figure darting out of the building they had been watching over, unbuckling his seatbelt. “There’s our guy. Ready?”

Sanghyuk has already unbuckled his own seatbelt, making sure his gun is in his holster before unlocking the doors. “Definitely. Let’s go catch our bad guy.”

**Author's Note:**

> \- SMPA – Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency  
> \- In South Korean politics, the National Assembly is the Legislative branch of the government, where 300 members are elected for a four-year term, 244 members in single-seat constituencies and 56 members by proportional representation. The Saenuri Party is one of the political parties, along with the Minjoo Party of Korea, the People’s Party, and the Justice Party.  
> \- Xyren is Xanax in Korea, a tranquilizer  
> \- Depakote is a brand of epilepsy medication


End file.
